Blackfriars Underground station in London reopened today after a rebuilding job.

Blackfriars was closed in March 2009. It now is able to accommodate up to 60 per cent more passengers a day, has new lifts, a new ticket hall, and new escalators, and now has entrances both north and south of the River Thames.

The work has been part of the redevelopment of Blackfriars main line station which, in turn, is part of the Bedford to Brighton Thameslink rail project.

Main line platforms now span the Thames, making way for longer trains on the Thameslink route through central London.

The project has provided jobs for 13,000 people over the last three years, with 2,000 people working on the site each day at the busiest times.

"The rebirth of this central London station will improve the journeys of thousands of passengers every single day," London Mayor Boris Johnson said.